Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-05-25
THE LATE DR.. J. G. HOLLANDS OPINION.
A Physician Climbing the Editorial Stairs.

The columns of the newspapers appear to
bs flooded with proprietary medicine adver-
tisements. AS we cast our eye over them,
it brings to mind an article that was pub
lished BY the late DR.. Holland in Scribner's
Monthlu. He says: Nevertheless, it is a
fact that many of the best proprietary
medicines of the day were more successful
than MANY physicians, and most of them, it
should be remembered were at first dis
covered or used in actual medical practice
When, however, any shrewd person, know
ing their virtue, and foreseeing their popu-
.arity, secures and advertises them, then, in
the opinion of the bigoted, all virtue went
out of them"
Is not this absurdP This great man Tap-
preciated the real merits Of popular reme-
dies, and the absurdity of those that derid-
ed them because public attention was call
cures. If the most noted physician should
announce that he had made study of any
certain organ or disease of the body, or
make his sign larger than the code size,
though he may have practised medicine and
been leader in all medical counsels, not
withstanding all this, if he should presume
to advertise and decline to give his dis
covery to the public, he would be pronounc-
ed quack and humbug, although he may
have spent bis entire life and all his avail
able funds in perfecting his investigations.
Again we say, "absurd."
If an ulcer is found upon ones arm, and
is cured by some dear soul of grandmoth-
er, outside of the code, it will be pronounc-
ed by the medical profession an ulcer OF
little importance. But if treated under the
CODE causing sleepless nights for a month,
with the scientific treatment, viz, plasters,
washes, dosing with morphine, arsenic and
other vile substances, given to prevent
blood poisoning or deaden pain, and yet the
alcer becomes malignant, and amputation
is made necessary at last, to save life, yet
all done according to the ''isms" OF the
medical code, this is much more gratifying
to the medical profession, and adds more
dignity to that distinguished order than to
be cured by the dear old grandmother s
remedy.
This appears like severe arraignment,
yet we believe that it expresses the true
standing of the medical profession in re-
gard to remedies discovered outside of their
special 'sism." One of the most perplex-
ing things of the day is the popularity OF
certain remedies, especially Warmers safe
cure, which we find for sale everywhere.
The physician of the highest standing is
ready to concede its merits and sustain the
theories the proprietors have made-that is,
that it benefits in most of the ailments of
the human system because it assists in put
ting the kidneys in proper condition, there.
by aiding in throwing off the impurities of
the blood, while others with less honesty
and experience deride,- and are willing to
see their patient die scientifically, and &C
cording to the code, rather than have him
cured by this great remedy. Yet we notice
that the popularity of the medicine con-
tinues to grow year by year. The discover
er comes boldly before the people with its
merits, and proclaims them from door to
door in our opinion much more honorably
than the physician who, perchance, may Sc.
cure patient from some catastrophe, and
is permitted to set bone Of an arm or a
finger, which he does with great dignity,
yet very soon after takes the liberty to
climb the EDITORS back stairs at 2 O'Clock
in the morning to have it announced in the
morning paper that ''Dr. So-and-so WAS in
attendance" and thus secures for his bene
fit beautiful and free advertisement. We
shall leave it to our readers to say which is
the wisest and most honorable.